The present invention related to a combination weighing apparatus, and more particularly to a combination weighting apparatus structured such that a weighing accuracy with respect to a subject to be weighed is not affected by internal and external vibrations, and to a vibration sensor that compensates for the influence of the vibrations, obtainable at low cost and without an increase in overall weight of the apparatus.
Further, the present invention relates to a combination weighing apparatus, and more particularly to a combination weighing apparatus structured such that the subject to be weighed and fine powder thereof hardly attach thereto, and maintenance and cleaning operations can be easily carried out during normal operations.
As is well known, conventionally, a combination weighing apparatus is employed for bagging foods, that is, goods individually having uneven mass, for example, potato chips, peanuts, fruit, sausages and the like at a predetermined mass or a substantially predetermined mass.
In this kind of combination weighing apparatus, for example, a plurality of radial feeders are radially provided around a center dispersing table, a plurality of stock hoppers, a plurality of weighing hoppers and the like are vertically arranged respectively below a front end of each of the radial feeders, and a collecting chute is provided below each of the stock hoppers, each of the weighing hoppers and the like.
Further, in the combination weighing apparatus mentioned above, for example, the subjects to be weighed such as food or the like as mentioned above are supplied to the dispersing table by a conveyor or the like, and dropped down into each of the stock hoppers by a plurality of radial feeders, and are then dropped down into each of the weighing hoppers by the downward action of the stock hoppers. Further, the subjects are weighed at each of the weighing hoppers.
In this case, the combined mass of all the subjects in the plurality of weighing hoppers is calculated by a calculating portion (not shown), whereby a predetermined mass or a combination close thereto is selected, and thereafter, the subjects are dropped down and discharged to a collecting chute from each of the weighing hoppers so as to be collected there.
Then, the weighed subjects are dropped down to the collecting chute so as to be gathered together and are conveyed out to the next process, such as a packaging process or the like.
Accordingly, in the conventional combination weighing apparatus having the structure mentioned above, for example, as shown in FIG. 34, a hollow polygonal tube shaped casing 2 is fixed on a stand 1.
Further, a dispersion table 3 is provided above the casing 2, and a collecting chute 5 is provided below the casing 2.
Further, a number of feeders 4, 4, . . . are radially provided above the casing 2 and around the dispersion table 3.
Further, a number of stock hoppers 6, 6, . . . are provided in a circumferential direction along an upper portion of a side wall 2a in the casing 2, and weighing hoppers 7, 7, . . . and memory hoppers 8, 8, . . . corresponding to lower portions of the respective stock hoppers 5 are provided in upper and lower portions, respectively.
Further, fixed ends of respective weighing devices 10, 10, . . . for the weighing hoppers 7, 7, . . . in the middle of the stock hoppers 6, 6, . . . and the memory hoppers 8, 8, . . . are fixed to respective weighing device bases 11, 11, . . . fixed to an inner surface of the side wall 2a of the casing 2.
Further, respective supporting bodies 12, 12, . . . fixed to free ends of the respective weighing devices 10, 10, . . . are protruded outward from respective holes 13, 13, . . . .
The weighing hoppers 7, 7, . . . are supported by front ends of the respective supporting bodies 12, 12, . . . , respectively.
A feeder base 15 is fixed to the above within the side wall 2a of the casing 2.
A number of vibrating devices 16, 16, . . . are fixed to an upper surface of the feeder base 15.
Respective vibration shafts 16a, 16a, . . . of the vibrating devices 16, 16, . . . are respectively protruded upward from holes 17, 17, . . . of an upper wall 2b in the casing 2.
The feeders 4, 4, . . . are respectively fixed to upper ends of the respective vibration shafts 16a, 16a, . . . . 
That is, the respective feeders 4, 4, . . . are vibrated due to vibrations transmitted from the respective vibration shafts 16a, 16a, . . . of the vibrating devices 16, 16, . . . and the subjects to be weighed on the respective feeders 4, 4, . . . are dropped down to the respective stock hoppers 6, 6, . . . .
However, in the conventional combination weighing apparatus having the structure mentioned above, since the respective weighing device bases 11, 11, . . . are provided between the feeder base 15 fixed to the upper portion of the hollow polygonal tube shaped casing 2 fixed on the stand 1 and the stand 1, the respective weighing devices 10, 10, . . . are little affected by the vibration of the respective vibrating devices 16, 16, . . . , leading to a disadvantage that a weighing accuracy with respect to the subject to be weighed is deteriorated.
Further, since the respective weighing device bases 11, 11, . . . are mounted to the side wall 2a of the hollow casing 2 at every weighing devices 10, 10, . . . , a stable operation of the respective weighing devices 10, 10, . . . depends upon a rigidity of the casing 2, so that it is necessary to firmly form the casing 2 at that degree for stabilizing the weighing operation, whereby there is a disadvantage that the weight is increased as a whole of the apparatus.
Further, it is necessary to provide a vibration sensor for compensating for the effects of the external vibration in the installing place of the stand 1, however, in the conventional apparatus shown in FIG. 34, since the respective weighing device bases 11, 11, . . . are provided in every weighing device 10, 10, . . . , it is necessary to mount the vibration sensors (not shown) to every weighing device base 11, 11, . . . , which is a disadvantageous as the cost is increased.
Further, as the conventional combination weighing apparatus, there has been known an apparatus structured as shown in FIG. 35.
That is, in this combination weighing apparatus, the dispersion table 3 and a number of radial feeders 4, 4, . . . are provided above the casing 2 provided in a center, and the collecting chute 4 is provided below the casing 2.
Further, a number of stock hoppers 6, 6, . . . are provided in a circumferential direction along the outer periphery of the casing 2, and the corresponding weighing hoppers 7, 7, . . . and memory hoppers 8, 8, . . . are respectively provided in the upper and lower portions below the respective stock hoppers 6, 6, . . . .
Further, in the conventional art, the casing 2 is, as shown in FIG. 35, formed in a hollow polygonal column shape having a corresponding number of flat side walls 2a to the number of the hoppers arranged in the circumferential direction.
A rectangular window 18 is provided in each of the side walls 2a of the casing 2.
Further, a rectangular flat mounting plate 19 is detachably fixed from an outer side of each of the side walls 2a in the polygonal casing 2, thereby closing the window 18.
Further, the respective hoppers 6, 7 and 8 are vertically mounted to outer sides of the respective mounting plates 19, and a motor M corresponding to a drive source for opening and closing an opening and closing lid (not shown) of discharge ports in the respective hoppers 6, 7 and 8 is vertically mounted inside the mounting plates 19 at every hopper 6, 7 and 8.
A weighing device W for the weighing hopper 7 is mounted inside the mounting plate 19, and the structure is made such that a lever for driving the opening and closing lid driven by the motor M and the like are protruded outward from a hole (not shown) provided in the mounting plate 19 in correspondence to the respective hoppers 6, 7 and 8.
Further, at a time of inspecting and maintaining the motor M and the weighing device W and the like, the motor M and the weighing device W are drawn outward together with the mounting plate 19 by taking out the mounting plate 19 detachably fixed to each of the side walls 2a of the casing 2.
Accordingly, in the case that the subject to be weighed is particularly a food, in the combination weighing apparatus mentioned above in which the opening and closing lid is opened and closed at a significantly high speed, and the subject to be weighed is violently dropped and discharged, there is a risk that the fine powder of the subject to be weighed which is supplied and dropped down gradually attaches and accumulates on the whole of the combination weighing apparatus such as the hoppers, the casing and the like during continued use, so as to be an obstacle, or bacteria breed on the subject to be weighed which is attached and accumulated in the respective portions or the subject to be weighed is spoilt.
Accordingly, it is necessary to frequently clean the whole combination weighing apparatus in accordance with a water cleaning or the like.
Accordingly, as mentioned above, in the conventional combination weighing apparatus, as shown in FIG. 35, the large window 18 is required for taking the motor M and the weighing device W corresponding to three kinds of vertically disposed hoppers 6, 7 and 8 in and out the side wall 2a of the casing 2.
Further, since the structure is made such as to be covered by the mounting plate 19 for closing the window 18 from the outer side, the subject to be weighed is easily attached to and accumulated in the contact portion between the outer peripheral end surface of the mounting plate 19 and the side wall 2a, and the bacteria easily breed on the attached and accumulated subject to be weighed and the subject to be weighed is easily spoilt.
Further, as mentioned above, in the conventional combination weighing apparatus, due to the complex structure, there is a risk that it is hard to clean and a food sanitation is deteriorated, so that it is significantly inconvenient. Further, at a time of water cleaning, the water easily enters within the window 18 through the portion between the outer peripheral end surface of the mounting plate 19 and the side wall 2a, and there is a risk that the internal motor M and the weighing device W cannot be used.
Further, since it is necessary to remove the motor M and the weighing device W together with the mounting plate 19 by removing the mounting plate 19 in the manner mentioned above at a time of inspection or maintenance the motor M and the weighing device W within the casing 2, the operation is very troublesome.
An object of the present invention is to provide a combination weighing apparatus which solves the problems mentioned above and is particularly structured such that a weighing accuracy with respect to a subject to be weighed is not affected by internal and external vibrations, without increasing a mass of the apparatus as a whole, and a vibration sensor for compensating an influence due to the external vibration can be obtained at a low cost.
Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a combination weighing apparatus which solves the problems mentioned above and is particularly structured such that the subject to be weighed and fine powder thereof rarely attach thereto, and maintenance and cleaning operations can be easily carried out.
(1) In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus comprising:
a plurality of feeders supplying a subject to be weighed;
a plurality of weighing hoppers receiving the subject to be weighed which is supplied by the plurality of feeders;
a plurality of weighing devices for weighing the subject to be weighed which is received in the weighing hoppers;
a weighing device base to which the plurality of weighing devices are fixed; and
a stand constituted by a plurality of metal supporting columns provided at a predetermined interval in a circumferential direction, having leg portions standing up from placing surfaces and supporting portions including horizontal portions connected to the leg portions and the horizontal portions of the supporting portions being connected to each other at a center portion,
wherein the weighing device base is directly fixed to a lower surface of the center connection portion of the stand.
(2) Further, in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the first aspect, wherein the weighing device base is a hollow tube body, the plurality of weighing devices are fixed to an outer peripheral portion of the hollow tube body, and a wiring path for the plurality of weighing devices is provided in an inner portion of the hollow tube body.
(3) Further, in accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the first aspect, wherein a vibration sensor commonly used for compensating for the vibrations of the plurality of weighing devices is mounted to the weighing device base.
(4) Further, in accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the first aspect, further comprising a side surface cover integrally formed so as to surround the weighing device base portion in a circumferential direction.
(5) Further, in accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the first aspect, further comprising:
a plurality of memory hoppers receiving the subject to be weighed which is weighed by the weighing hoppers;
a first side surface cover integrally formed so as to surround at least the weighing device base portion in a circumferential direction; and
a second side surface cover integrally formed so as to surround at least a driving portion opening and closing a lid of a discharge port in the memory hopper in a circumferential direction,
wherein the first and second side surface covers are formed so as to be respectively separated into at least two in a vertical direction.
(6) Further, in accordance with a sixth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus comprising:
a plurality of feeders supplying a subject to be weighed;
a feeder base to which the plurality of feeders are fixed;
a plurality of weighing hoppers receiving the subject to be weighed which is supplied by the plurality of feeders;
a plurality of weighing devices for weighing the subject to be weighed which is received in the weighing hoppers;
a weighing device base to which the plurality of weighing devices are fixed; and
a stand constituted by a plurality of metal supporting columns provided at a predetermined interval in a circumferential direction, having leg portions standing up from placing surfaces and supporting portions including horizontal portions connected to the leg portions and the horizontal portions of the supporting portions being connected to each other at a center portion,
wherein the feeder base is directly fixed to an upper surface of a center connecting portion of the stand, and the weighing device base is directly fixed to a lower surface of the center connection portion of the stand.
(7) Further, in accordance with a seventh aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the sixth aspect, wherein the weighing device base is a hollow tube body, the plurality of weighing devices are fixed to an outer peripheral portion of the hollow tube body, and a wiring path for the plurality of weighing devices is provided in an inner portion of the hollow tube body.
(8) Further, in accordance with an eighth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the sixth aspect, wherein a vibration sensor commonly used for compensating for the vibrations of the plurality of weighing devices is mounted to the weighing device base.
(9) Further, in accordance with a ninth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the sixth aspect, further comprising a side surface cover integrally formed so as to surround the weighing device base portion in a circumferential direction.
(10) Further, in accordance with a tenth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the sixth aspect, further comprising:
a plurality of memory hoppers receiving the subject to be weighed which is weighed by the weighing hoppers;
a first side surface cover integrally formed so as to surround at least the weighing device base portion in a circumferential direction; and
a second side surface cover integrally formed so as to surround at least a driving portion opening and closing an opening and closing lid of a discharge port in the memory hopper in a circumferential direction,
wherein the first and second side surface covers are formed so as to be respectively separated into at least two in a vertical direction.
(11) Further, in accordance with an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus comprising:
a plurality of feeders supplying a subject to be weighed;
a feeder base to which the plurality of feeders are fixed;
a plurality of stock hoppers receiving the subject to be weighed which is supplied by the plurality of feeders;
a stock hopper base to which the plurality of stock hoppers are fixed;
a plurality of weighing hoppers receiving the subject to be weighed which is dropped down from the plurality of stock hoppers;
a plurality of weighing devices for weighing the subject to be weighed which is received in the weighing hoppers;
a weighing device base to which the plurality of weighing devices are fixed; and
a stand constituted by a plurality of metal supporting columns provided at a predetermined interval in a circumferential direction, having leg portions standing up from placing surfaces and supporting portions including horizontal portions connected to the leg portions and the horizontal portions of the supporting portions being connected to each other at a center portion,
wherein the feeder base and the stock hopper base are directly fixed to an upper surface of a center connecting portion of the stand, and the weighing device base is directly fixed to a lower surface of the center connection portion of the stand.
(12) Further, in accordance with a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the eleventh aspect, wherein the weighing device base is a hollow tube body, the plurality of weighing devices are fixed to an outer peripheral portion of the hollow tube body, and a wiring path for the plurality of weighing devices is provided in an inner portion of the hollow tube body.
(13) Further, in accordance with a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the eleventh aspect, wherein a vibration sensor commonly used for compensating for the vibrations of the plurality of weighing devices is mounted to the weighing device base.
(14) Further, in accordance with a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the eleventh aspect, further comprising a side surface cover integrally formed so as to surround the feeder base, the stock hopper base and the weighing device base portion in a circumferential direction.
(15) Further, in accordance with a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the eleventh aspect, further comprising:
a plurality of memory hoppers receiving the subject to be weighed which is weighed by the weighing hoppers;
a first side surface cover integrally formed so as to surround at least the feeder base, the stock hopper base and the weighing device base portion in a circumferential direction; and
a second side surface cover integrally formed so as to surround at least a driving portion opening and closing an opening and closing lid of a discharge port in the memory hopper in a circumferential direction,
wherein the first and second side surface covers are formed so as to be respectively separated into at least two in a vertical direction.
In accordance with the combination weighing apparatus of the present invention as mentioned above, since the weighing device base to which the plurality of weighing devices are fixed is directly fixed to the stand, the influence of the vibrating devices in the feeders is hard to be transmitted to the weighing device base, so that a weighing accuracy with respect to the subject to be weighed executed by each of the weighing devices is improved.
Further, in accordance with the combination weighing apparatus of the present invention as mentioned above, since the feeder base to which the plurality of feeders are fixed, and the weighing device base to which the plurality of weighing devices are fixed are directly fixed to the upper and lower surfaces of the stand so as to hold the stand therebetween, the influence of the vibrating devices in the feeders does not effect the weighing device base, so that a weighing accuracy with respect to the subject to be weighed executed by each of the weighing devices is improved.
(16) In accordance with a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus comprising:
a plurality of feeders supplying a subject to be weighed;
a plurality of weighing hoppers receiving the subject to be weighed which is supplied by the plurality of feeders;
a plurality of weighing devices for weighing the subject to be weighed which is received in the weighing hoppers;
a weighing device base to which the plurality of weighing devices are fixed;
a stand constituted by a plurality of metal supporting columns provided at a predetermined interval in a circumferential direction, having leg portions standing up from placing surfaces and supporting portions including horizontal portions connected to the leg portions and the horizontal portions of the supporting portions being connected to each other at a center portion;
a plurality of memory hoppers receiving a subject to be weighed which is weighed by the weighing hoppers;
a first side surface cover integrally formed so as to surround at least the weighing device base portion in a circumferential direction; and
a second side surface cover integrally formed so as to surround at least a driving portion for opening and closing opening and closing lids in discharge ports of the memory hoppers in a circumferential direction,
wherein the weighing device base is directly fixed to a lower surface of the center connection portion of the stand, and
wherein the first and second side surface covers are respectively formed so as to be separated into at least two portions in a vertical direction, the first side surface cover is fixed to the plurality of supporting column portions of the stand, and the second side surface cover is structured such as to be vertically moved by an elevating apparatus so as to open and close between the first side surface cover disposed in an upper side and the second side surface cover disposed in a lower side.
In accordance with the combination weighing apparatus, since the casing (the first and second side surface covers) is vertically separated and vertically moved so as to open and close therebetween, the drive sources and the weighing devices within the casing can be taken in and out through the opening surface vertically separated in the casing, so that it is not necessary to provide the large-sized hole for taking in and out the drive sources and the weighing devices in the casing itself, and a significantly small hole through which the lever for opening and closing the opening and closing lid passes is only required.
Accordingly, in the combination weighing apparatus, since it is not necessary to attach the mounting plate for closing the large hole and the structure becomes simple, the subject to be weighed which is attached and accumulated is reduced, a sanitary property is significantly improved, and a waterproof property at a time of cleaning is significantly improved.
Further, it is not required to execute a troublesome operation such as an inspection of the drive sources, the weighing devices and the like within the casing, an attachment and detachment of the mounting plate and the like at a time of maintenance, and the like, and it is required to only vertically move the separated casing, so that the inspection and the maintenance can be significantly easily executed.
(17) Further, in accordance with a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the sixteenth aspect, wherein the vertically moving apparatus suspends the second side surface cover disposed in the lower side from a side of the first side surface cover disposed in the upper side by a wire and vertically moves by a winch provided in a side of the first side surface cover disposed in the upper side so as to open and close between the first side surface cover disposed in the upper side and the second side surface cover disposed in the lower side.
In accordance with the combination weighing apparatus mentioned above, it is possible to wind up and down the lower side separated casing suspended by the wire by the winch so as to significantly easily open and close the separated casing.
(18) Further, in accordance with an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the seventeenth aspect, wherein lower end portions of the plurality of wires suspending and supporting the lower side second side surface cover are respectively mounted to the lower side second side cover via urging means.
In accordance with the combination weighing apparatus, an individual difference of a tensional force applied by a plurality of wires suspending the lower side second side surface cover can be absorbed by the urging means provided in the lower ends of the respective wires.
Further, it is possible to absorb an impact at a time of stopping the winding up and down operation executed by the winch.
(19) Further, in accordance with a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the seventeenth aspect, wherein a hole for operation is provided in the upper side first side surface cover, and the lower side casing can be vertically moved by inserting an operating device from the hole so as to operate the winch.
In accordance with the combination weighing apparatus, it is possible to vertically open and close the casing from the external portion in an easy manner.
(20) Further, in accordance with a twentieth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus as recited in the nineteenth aspect, wherein the winch is provided with a rotary shaft rotating in accordance with an operation from the external portion, provided with a moving body moving in an axial direction of the rotary shaft in correspondence to an amount of rotation of the rotary shaft, and provided with a restricting body restricting a moving range of the moving body so as to restrict a wind-up amount or a wind-down amount executed by the winch.
In accordance with the combination weighing apparatus, it is possible to automatically determine a range for winding up and down the lower side separated casing executed by the winch.
(21) Further, in accordance with a twenty first aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus having a plurality of hoppers provided along an outer periphery of a casing,
wherein the casing is vertically separated into at least two portions, a shaft is protruded downward from the separated casing disposed in an upper side, and the separated casing disposed in a lower side is mounted in a vertically movable manner along the shaft so as to open and close between the upper side separated casing and the lower side separated casing.
In accordance with the combination weighing apparatus, it is possible to vertically move the lower side separated casing along the shaft so as to easily open and close the casing in a vertical direction, so that it is easy to inspect and maintain the drive sources and the weighing devices within the casing.
(22) Further, in accordance with a twenty second aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, there is provided a combination weighing apparatus having a plurality of hoppers provided along an outer periphery of a casing,
wherein the casing is vertically separated into at least two portions, a circular column provided with a screw surface is protruded downward from the separated casing disposed in an upper side, and the separated casing disposed in a lower side is engaged with the circular column so as to rotate the lower side separated casing, thereby vertically moving so as to open and close between the upper side separated casing and the lower side separated casing.
In accordance with the combination weighing apparatus, it is possible to vertically move the lower side separated casing along the circular column by rotating the lower side separated casing so as to easily open and close the casing in a vertical direction, so that it is easy to inspect and maintain the drive sources and the weighing devices within the casing;